Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: One Song
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Long time no see, that nostalgic face—I personally shoved it into a lava pit, and as I sank into deep despair, the chat window was just endlessly cracking up for some reason.
"Don't laugh, I'm seriously distraught..."
I rubbed my puffy eyes and let out a sigh.
It was just a game character, a demon that happened to look eerily like someone I knew by coincidence, but wasn't that enough to stir up nostalgia for the Demon Realm?
Rationally, I understood that ignoring reality got you nowhere,
but that didn't mean the Demon Realm wasn't missed.
Gazing at the empty spot where the demon had vanished into the lava, I murmured wistfully.
"The 3rd Legion Commander always treated me to his cooking..."
"He looked rough around the edges, but among everyone I've met, he was the most refined and kind-hearted."
The 3rd Legion Commander, Hunger, came to mind.
His thick pair of arms—no, four arms; six mouths, sharp teeth, and massive wings.
A horribly twisted face and a hulking mass of flesh that seemed to droop, with a faint stench.
If you judged by looks alone, he was genuinely repulsive, but he was kind to everyone.
Especially since he enjoyed cooking as a hobby.
He often shared food he'd made with those around him, and his skills rivaled the chefs in the Demon King's castle without shame.
There were plenty who eagerly awaited his culinary gifts.
"He looked just like the 3rd Legion Commander..."
The demon I'd just dropped into the lava reminded me of him.
It felt like the 3rd Legion Commander himself had sunk into the lava with a lonely smile.
"It was my fault..."
During the invasion, I'd gathered all my legion commanders, and among them was the 3rd Legion Commander, Hunger.
And like me and Madness, Hunger had rotten luck, ending up someone I'd never see again—so wasn't this my fault?
The tears stopped quickly, but the stuffy feeling in my chest lingered, leaving me downcast, when the chat started prodding me.
How could humans be so wicked?
If someone was feeling down, the proper order was to offer words of comfort.
No, to begin with—
"The 3rd Legion Commander isn't an imaginary friend! He existed!"
Ugh...
"Because he's gone now..."
Gone now. I can never see him again.
My loyal subordinate who followed me had died because of my wrong choice—this was a rightful karma and responsibility I had to bear to the end, no matter what anyone said.
I shouldn't take it lightly, but wondering if there was a way to make them understand my feelings more clearly, a good idea struck me.
Why not explain my relationship with Hunger in terms they could grasp?
If the disconnect between me and the viewers stemmed from the unfamiliarity of the "legion commander" title, rephrasing it appropriately would bridge that gap.
Kind, great at cooking.
Too close for just a friend, too distant for anything more.
Shared many secrets with me, and as a legion commander, always took my side.
In other words, in this world's terms,
"The 3rd Legion Commander is, in your words, like your mother."
This body's memories oddly lacked any family recollections except for Sister.
I couldn't quite grasp exactly what a "mother" was,
but from frequent exposure in communities, I had a rough idea.
A being who always took my side no matter what.
Wasn't that what a mother was called?
Seeing the chat go solemnly quiet for a moment, I felt proud that I'd properly conveyed my feelings, only for self-loathing to crash in right after.
Proud over correctly explaining him instead of mourning his death as a legion commander.
"It's fine. That's a fair question to have."
I shrugged it off nonchalantly.
Somehow, chatting like this had calmed the emotions that had welled up.
After passing stage 5 into 6, then 7, a new question arose.
Normally at this hour, I'd kill time posting random stuff online alone.
But with viewers, it felt like someone was actually with me, and after nearly half a year in this world without real interaction, I had so many curiosities.
Moreover.
"This is boring."
Puzzle elements got added every 5 stages, but they were messy and half-baked.
There was no fun to be had in a game like this, and gradually, it became less a test of my wisdom and more a desire to satisfy my curiosities.
"I know you've come to the stream because of my beauty."
The game fell way down my interest list, and I half-assed it while focusing on chatting.
"I just want to try communicating with you all."
This was sincere.
"Ah, my throat's dry, so excuse me for a moment."
I got up, went to the sink, drank some tap water, came back, and the chat exploded with question marks like they'd seen something they shouldn't have.
"Why the fuss? I just drank water."
Thinking they were overreacting about nothing, the chat suddenly erupted with explosive firepower.
"Ha, one at a time... I'll answer most things."
I had no idea what they were seeing, but I paused the game to address their questions.
"Tap water? No real reason, just drink it. Sometimes rusty water comes out first, but run it for 3 minutes and it's clean enough."
I didn't see the need to buy bottled water.
Next, the wallpaper question.
"The wallpaper soaked up moisture during last rainy season and spread like that before I could do anything."
I had no clue how to fix it, so I'd left it alone.
Finally, the no-pants comment.
"It's just an oversized T-shirt, and I am properly dressed. See?"
I stood from the chair, lifted the hem slightly to show my short shorts, and the chat went wild again.
"I was just satisfying your curiosity... Isn't that too much?"
It wasn't even that risqué. I have common sense; I wouldn't show anything improper.
All they saw was my navel, anyway.
What weirdos.
"Anyway, I've answered all your questions, so now it's my turn, right?"
Resuming the game, I voiced my own curiosity.
"My appearance is peerlessly supreme. Unless you have bizarre tastes, this body is top-tier in the world."
"I'll make money streaming with this face. And reclaim the burden Sister carries—that's my goal."
"Turning twenty this year. Anyway, that's what I mean."
I cleared my throat lightly, looked at the cam, and flashed a beaming smile.
"Wouldn't it be worth paying to see a face like this?"
I needed a lot of money.
Right away for improving the streaming setup,
and to take back the burden Madness carried.
Poking my soft cheek toward the cam to sell the cuteness, reactions came instantly.
[Anon donated 1,000 won!]
[Anon donated 1,000 won!]
[Anon donated 2,000 won!]
"Thank you. Now I can face Sister today, all thanks to you."
Of course, I didn't plan to just take.
"Like any relationship, it doesn't work if it's only giving or only taking. What do you want from me? If it's possible, I'll make it happen."
As long as it wasn't weird, I'd do anything—this was an honor they should cherish.
The chance to demand anything from the Demon Realm's lord.
Such glory wouldn't be common across the Demon Realm, this world, or any dimension.
"...I'll decide on a reaction soon, but a song..."
I was pretty confident in singing.
The issue was all the songs I knew were from the Demon Realm.
"Should be fine. I'll sing one."
Just adjust the language to this world.
I gently closed my eyes and began to sing.
A booming military anthem themed on death, war, struggle, conquest, and occupation echoed through the semi-basement room.